This painting has extremely rich texture and pattern. Many of the details are intricate, and they make the painting come alive. The detail in the clothing makes it come alive, and it seems to have texture that the viewer could touch. The patterns of the fabric and the entire scene are quite vibrant too, and the give an overall feelings of depth and space that seems almost 3-D. The artist uses shading and shadow to create depth too, and it gives the effect of real fabric draped around the servant's head and in the tunic and feather on the hat of the victim. The texture of the four people's skin seems almost like porcelain and contrasts with the texture of the fabric they are wearing.

The clothing indicates this painting was painted during the Renaissance, and so it was painted as a contemporary painting when the artist painted it. The emotion of the painting is very real. The viewer feels sorry for the victim, who looks so innocent, and wonders why the others feel compelled to cheat him. There is also controlled excitement...

The viewer wonders if the accomplices will be caught, or if the victim will ever figure out just what occurred during this "friendly" game.
A enjoyed this work very much, and marveled at the detail and intricacy of the clothing and scene. I also appreciated how the artist used shadow and light so effectively, and used it to convey meaning as well as to light and frame the piece. I had not heard of this artist or his work before, and after viewing this piece, I wanted to learn more about him and his other works. He is an interesting painter, and the detail in this work is so intricate and real that it made me want to reach out and touch the canvas and feel the texture for myself.

References

Hubbard, Guy. "Clip & Save Art Notes." Arts & Activities Sept. 2002: 34+.

La Tour, Georges de. "The Cheat with the Ace of Clubs." Kimball Art Museum. 2006. 25 Sept. 2006. http://www.kimbellart.org/database/index.cfm?detail=yes&ID=AP%201981.06